Tri-Nations - Week 1
Stats
Tri-Nations broke our in Christchurch on the South Island of New Zealand on Saturday, and again there is much to interest referees.
On this page we shall give some statistics from the match, and each week we shall add to certain totals.
We shall this week also do a law discussion with reference especially to two TMO decisions, falling on a prone player and a case of advantage. And we shall give readers a chance to have their say.
Statistics
Yellow Cards
There was one – for Rocky Elsom of Australia. There are some who seem to feel he was harshly done by. There are others who feel he got his just deserts.
It was not, as we shall see below, a match of many stoppages. There were just 12 penalties in the match, for one thing. Australia were penalised four times in the first half. The first three of those were conceded by Elsom for infringements at the tackle. Elsom clearly did not agree with the referee.
After the second one the referee spoke to George Gregan, the Wallaby captain, with a reminder: "That's the second one from the same man." That was at 24 mins 38 seconds. Daniel Carter missed the subsequent kick at goal. The Wallabies dropped out, the All Blacks ran and Elsom tackled Byron Kelleher. Having tackled Kelleher, Elsom lay on Kelleher, actually moving his body to have a more smothering effect. There was nobody pinning him down, which suggests that he could have got away. The All Blacks started to exercise their boots, the referee penalised Elsom and flashed him a yellow card and Elsom went without demur.
While he was away New Zealand scored 14 points. This second infringement happened on 26 mins 27 seconds, under two minutes after the referee had made his displeasure audible. Perhaps it would be better for the player to take note of the referee's displeasure rather than dispute it and carrying on infringing in the same way. Elsom returned eventually and played for 44 minutes without conceding another tackle offence.
Penalties conceded
New Zealand: 6
Australia: 7
Reasons for the penalties
* = points scored
New Zealand:
Tackle: 2 (Collins, McCaw)
Off-side: 2 (Muliaina and Rokocoko, Williams & Hore)
Discipline: 1 (Woodcock – collpasing maul, McCaw – collapsing maul)
Australia:
Tackle: 6 (Elsom 3, Larkham*, Mortlock* 2)
Discipline: (Sharpe – obstruction)
New Zealand missed two penalty kicks at goal.
Getting possession:
New Zealand:
Line-outs: 9 (1 quick)
Scrums: 8 (1 wheeled, 1 free kick)
Free kicks: 1 (scrum)
Drop-outs: 1
Australia:
Line-outs: 15 (1 lost)
Scrums: 10 (3 reset, 1 wheel, 1 free kick)]
Free Kicks: 3 (2 marks, 1 scrum)
Drop-outs: 3
Stoppages:
New Zealand vs Australia: 65
There were few stoppages in the match.
Tries:
New Zealand vs Australia: 4 + 2 = 6
